Rinks

The cold weather means one thing: time to bundle up. Slip on the gloves, wrap your scarf and lace up the skates. Ice skating season is upon us. The McCormick Tribune Ice Rink at Millennium Park is set to open Friday and remains open through mid-March. The other rinks in the city operated by the Chicago Park District are planned to be open from Nov. 23 through Feb. 24. Of course, that all depends on the weather. Last year, mild November temperatures delayed the opening of nine outdoor rinks.

The ice rink at Wrigley Field won't open this winter to skaters after a four-year stint. The rink at Wrigley opened in 2009 on the parking lot next to the ballpark at Addison and Clark Streets. But this year, the Cubs decided not to do it again due to plans to overhaul the ballpark property. "We planned for construction to start this offseason so we had to make a decision on this a few months ago. Unfortunately, we've yet to start to construction and resources have been diverted," Julian Green, Cubs vice president of communications and community affairs, said in an email.

On a 45-degree night in Rogers Park last week, Tom O'Connell laced up his skates and hopped on the ice, though you'll forgive him if he felt as though he stepped into a time machine. "I started playing outdoor hockey when I was a youngster," the Des Plaines resident said. "That's all I ever played. That's what I grew up with, so there are a lot of great memories. " Indeed, there was a sort of "Sandlot" feel under the lights at Warren Park on opening night for the Chicago Outdoor Hockey League, the only outdoor recreational ice hockey league in the city.

It's almost time to grab your hat, mittens and skates for the winter tradition of ice skating in Chicago. This Friday, weather permitting, the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink in Millennium Park is set open to the public. It'll be open through March 9. Admission is free. Skates can be rented for $10. There will be free ice skating lessons for beginners on the weekend one hour before the rink opens. Hours are noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to 10 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.

It's tempting to want to hibernate when the weather turns frigid. Though with all the tasty treats and drinks at family gatherings and office parties, the holidays aren't the time to slow down. Get your blood pumping at these five events to keep those calorie bombs in check. Ice skating Channel your favorite Olympic ice skating star for a whirl at seasonal outdoor rinks around the city. Most offer skate rentals for $5-$10. Icy destinations include: -McCormick Tribune Ice Rink at Millennium Park, 55 N. Michigan Ave. 312-742-1168.

The summer heat still lingers as the Chicago Park District puts its attention to winter ice rinks. The board of commissioners on Wednesday is expected to consider awarding a $198,000 two-year contract to Rink Management Services Corporation for the management and operation of the park district's six outdoor ice rinks. The company, based in Mechanicsville, Va., proposed providing up to 300 pairs of ice skates at no cost to accommodate more skaters at the rinks, selling ads on hockey boards and including broomball and sled hockey among its activities, according to...

It's almost time to grab your hat, mittens and skates for the winter tradition of ice skating in Chicago. This Friday, weather permitting, the McCormick Tribune Ice Rink in Millennium Park is set open to the public. It'll be open through March 9. Admission is free. Skates can be rented for $10. There will be free ice skating lessons for beginners on the weekend one hour before the rink opens. Hours are noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to 10 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 9...

When the lines to ice skate at Millennium Park are too long, wouldn't it be nice to have your own ice skating rink in your backyard? Northwestern University students are lucky enough to have something like that. Construction on the ice rink at the Norris student center started last week. This is the third winter in a row that Northwestern has constructed an ice rink on the east lawn of the Norris University Center. Assistant Director of Norris Center Student Affairs Marketing James McHaley said that the first year of the rink in...

Winter in Chicago hasn't been brutal yet. It's actually perfect weather to lace up your skates and show off spins and jumps on the ice. And it hasn't been too warm that the ice at skating rinks around the city have melted. The Millennium Park ice rink has a high-tech chilling system that lies underneath the concrete to manufacture a hard layer of ice and keep it frozen, said Matt Nielson, deputy commissioner of the city's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, which oversees the park.

The Rink at Wrigley is getting into the holiday spirit. The Chicago Cubs Charities has announced a new charitable venture that benefits Jennifer Hudson's Julian D. King foundation and--if you plan on ice skating this year--you. Starting Monday, the rink is accepting donations of toys for the charity. If you stop by between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday or from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, you can swap an unwrapped toy for a free skating pass. The pass allows one free skating session that can be used any time throughout the...

The summer heat still lingers as the Chicago Park District puts its attention to winter ice rinks. The board of commissioners on Wednesday is expected to consider awarding a $198,000 two-year contract to Rink Management Services Corporation for the management and operation of the park district's six outdoor ice rinks. The company, based in Mechanicsville, Va., proposed providing up to 300 pairs of ice skates at no cost to accommodate more skaters at the rinks, selling ads on hockey boards and including broomball and sled hockey among its activities, according to park district documents.

When the lines to ice skate at Millennium Park are too long, wouldn't it be nice to have your own ice skating rink in your backyard? Northwestern University students are lucky enough to have something like that. Construction on the ice rink at the Norris student center started last week. This is the third winter in a row that Northwestern has constructed an ice rink on the east lawn of the Norris University Center. Assistant Director of Norris Center Student Affairs Marketing James McHaley said that the first year of the...

On a 45-degree night in Rogers Park last week, Tom O'Connell laced up his skates and hopped on the ice, though you'll forgive him if he felt as though he stepped into a time machine. "I started playing outdoor hockey when I was a youngster," the Des Plaines resident said. "That's all I ever played. That's what I grew up with, so there are a lot of great memories. " Indeed, there was a sort of "Sandlot" feel under the lights at Warren Park on opening night for the Chicago Outdoor Hockey League, the only outdoor recreational ice hockey league in the...

The Rink at Wrigley is getting into the holiday spirit. The Chicago Cubs Charities has announced a new charitable venture that benefits Jennifer Hudson's Julian D. King foundation and--if you plan on ice skating this year--you. Starting Monday, the rink is accepting donations of toys for the charity. If you stop by between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday or from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, you can swap an unwrapped toy for a free skating pass. The pass allows one free skating session that can be used any time throughout the...

The cold weather means one thing: time to bundle up. Slip on the gloves, wrap your scarf and lace up the skates. Ice skating season is upon us. The McCormick Tribune Ice Rink at Millennium Park is set to open Friday and remains open through mid-March. The other rinks in the city operated by the Chicago Park District are planned to be open from Nov. 23 through Feb. 24. Of course, that all depends on the weather. Last year, mild November temperatures delayed the opening of nine outdoor rinks.

Winter in Chicago hasn't been brutal yet. It's actually perfect weather to lace up your skates and show off spins and jumps on the ice. And it hasn't been too warm that the ice at skating rinks around the city have melted. The Millennium Park ice rink has a high-tech chilling system that lies underneath the concrete to manufacture a hard layer of ice and keep it frozen, said Matt Nielson, deputy commissioner of the city's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, which oversees the park.

The ice rink at Wrigley Field won't open this winter to skaters after a four-year stint. The rink at Wrigley opened in 2009 on the parking lot next to the ballpark at Addison and Clark Streets. But this year, the Cubs decided not to do it again due to plans to overhaul the ballpark property. "We planned for construction to start this offseason so we had to make a decision on this a few months ago. Unfortunately, we've yet to start to construction and resources have been diverted," Julian Green, Cubs vice president of communications and community affairs, said in an email.

If you want to go sledding today, the Forest Preserve District of Cook County has five hills with lighting open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. The spots within the city limits are the Dan Ryan Woods near Western Avenue and 87 t h Street in Beverly and Caldwell Woods near Milwaukee and Devon avenues in Norwood Park. Another sledding location is Indian Road Woods near Central Avenue and Indian Road in Edgebrook, but it doesn't have lighting so that hill is only open from 8 a.m. until sunset.

It's tempting to want to hibernate when the weather turns frigid. Though with all the tasty treats and drinks at family gatherings and office parties, the holidays aren't the time to slow down. Get your blood pumping at these five events to keep those calorie bombs in check. Ice skating Channel your favorite Olympic ice skating star for a whirl at seasonal outdoor rinks around the city. Most offer skate rentals for $5-$10. Icy destinations include: -McCormick Tribune Ice Rink at Millennium Park, 55 N. Michigan Ave. 312-742-1168.